Strauss Zelnick, president and chief operating officer of 20th Century Fox, plans to resign his position to join a new technology company, sources say. Zelnick is expected to announce his decision today. The Fox executive will become president and chief executive officer of Crystal Dynamics, a Silicon Valley start-up company involved in electronic games technology.

The distance between the top and the bottom of the record business is not very far--as Bertelsmann Music Group may soon find out. BMG rules the sales chart this week with the top six best-selling albums in the nation, but the German conglomerate could quickly plunge to last place if a key affiliate, Zomba Group, breaks away in June as expected. BMG distributes the records produced by Zomba, and losing the label would cost BMG nearly a third of its 15% share of the U.S.

Strauss Zelnick has been promoted to president and chief executive of Bertelsmann Music Group Entertainment, home to such acts as Whitney Houston, Wu-Tang Clan, Dave Mathews Band and George Winston. Zelnick, who will continue to report to BMG Chairman Michael Dornemann, has helped transform BMG's once-dormant North American division into the second- biggest music distributor in the U.S.

Strauss Zelnick has been named president and chief operating officer of Vestron Inc. Zelnick previously was executive vice president of Vestron, a Stamford, Conn., home video company that recently branched into movie production.

Strauss Zelnick has been promoted to president and chief executive of Bertelsmann Music Group Entertainment, home to such acts as Whitney Houston, Wu-Tang Clan, Dave Mathews Band and George Winston. Zelnick, who will continue to report to BMG Chairman Michael Dornemann, has helped transform BMG's once-dormant North American division into the second- biggest music distributor in the U.S.

Former studio executive-turned-Silicon Valley entrepreneur Strauss Zelnick was named to run the North American entertainment operations of Bertelsmann Music Group on Tuesday, a move likely to accelerate the German media giant's long-anticipated expansion into Hollywood. With his appointment as president and chief executive of BMG Entertainment North America, Zelnick will also take responsibility for revamping BMG's troubled RCA Records operation.

The distance between the top and the bottom of the record business is not very far--as Bertelsmann Music Group may soon find out. BMG rules the sales chart this week with the top six best-selling albums in the nation, but the German conglomerate could quickly plunge to last place if a key affiliate, Zomba Group, breaks away in June as expected. BMG distributes the records produced by Zomba, and losing the label would cost BMG nearly a third of its 15% share of the U.S.

Billionaire investor Carl Icahn nominated himself and two other people to the board of Dallas-based Blockbuster Inc., where he is the largest shareholder. Icahn had said he would nominate directors because management needed to curb spending. Icahn nominated music executive Strauss Zelnick and former Warner Bros. executive Edward Bleier. Shareholders will vote on the three at Blockbuster's annual meeting in May.

Dissident shareholders won their bid for control of video game maker Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. and ousted its chief executive, the New York-based company said Thursday. New directors installed include Strauss Zelnick, a former chief executive of BMG Entertainment, who was named chairman. Take-Two CEO Paul Eibeler was relieved of his position. Take-Two makes the bestselling "Grand Theft Auto" video game series.

Former studio executive-turned-Silicon Valley entrepreneur Strauss Zelnick was named to run the North American entertainment operations of Bertelsmann Music Group on Tuesday, a move likely to accelerate the German media giant's long-anticipated expansion into Hollywood. With his appointment as president and chief executive of BMG Entertainment North America, Zelnick will also take responsibility for revamping BMG's troubled RCA Records operation.

Strauss Zelnick, president and chief operating officer of 20th Century Fox, plans to resign his position to join a new technology company, sources say. Zelnick is expected to announce his decision today. The Fox executive will become president and chief executive officer of Crystal Dynamics, a Silicon Valley start-up company involved in electronic games technology.

Strauss Zelnick has been named president and chief operating officer of Vestron Inc. Zelnick previously was executive vice president of Vestron, a Stamford, Conn., home video company that recently branched into movie production.

Blockbuster Inc. urged shareholders to withhold votes from Carl Icahn and two nominees the billionaire investor is trying to install on the company's board. Icahn and the other nominees, Strauss Zelnick and Edward Bleier, "would only disrupt the momentum of our strategy and introduce a fractious element to the board," the Dallas-based company said in a filing.

An influential advisory service is recommending that Blockbuster Inc. shareholders vote for two board candidates nominated by Carl Icahn but not for the financier himself. Institutional Shareholder Services endorsed Icahn allies Strauss Zelnick and Edward Bleier in a report to shareholders of the nation's leading movie-rental chain. However, ISS said Chief Executive John F. Antioco should stay.